While this payment model is somewhat in jest, I would like to suggest that K4FEG is not wrong. It is the usual practice of organizations with internet message boards to restrict posting privileges to members only, and to enforce those restrictions by auditing the list members regularly. This actually is normal practice, and I am slightly surprised that AMSAT-NA doesn't do this.
I think this is an excellent idea, is easily doable with free mailing list and message board software. Since it's his idea, it should be his glory, so I nominate K4FEG to be AMSAT-BB list maintainer. His duties would be to, each week, go through the list of active members of all AMSAT organizations and match them up with the membership of this mailing list, removing people who aren't members, and reinstating people who are members.
73 de VE3OIJ -Darin [email protected]
K4FEG [email protected] said:
I propose that AMSAT-NA start charging to post on the BB. My proposal goes something like this;
to be able to post on the AMSAT-BB, the individual posting must link a PayPal account or Valid Credit Card that AMSAT-NA can charge each time that they post on the BB.
The fee schedule would be as follows: Members; $1.00 per post, Non- members; $1.50 per post, a monthly charge for members of $60.00 per month for unlimited posts for that month and non-members a monthly charge $100.00 for the same unlimited monthly posting. Then there could be an annual charge to members of $500.00 for 1 year of unlimited postings or for non-members an annual charge of $750.00 for unlimited postings.
.../etc.